Harvest Dreams
by lindahoyland
Summary: A Series of drabbles originally written for prompts on the theme of "Harvest" at at "Tolkien Weekly" and focussing on Faramir.
1. Swords into Ploughshares

**Title – Swords into Ploughshares****  
****Author: Linda Hoyland ****  
****Characters/Pairing: Boromir, Faramir, Imrahil****  
****Rating: G ****  
****Warnings: none ****  
****Book/Source: LOTR book-verse **

_These Characters are the property of the Estate of J. R. R Tolkien. This story has been written for pleasure and no profit has or will be made from it._

_**With grateful thanks to Raksha and NiRi**_

"Why must we do this, Uncle?" Boromir looked suspiciously at the scythe in his hand. "We are on holiday!"

"You will learn much helping in my fields," said Imrahil.

"Much rather would I wield a sword!" Boromir complained, frowning at the scythe. "I am not a farmer!"

"A Steward's heir should learn the arts of peace as well as war," Imrahil said firmly. "Surely you would not have your brother best you?"

Boromir looked up and saw that Faramir was briskly harvesting the wheat. His little brother seemed to use the scythe deftly as a sword, if not more so.

_A/N Written for the prompt "Scythe" at "Tolkien Weekly. In my story "A Time to Reap" Faramir refers to helping Imrahil with the harvest in chapter 19. _


	2. Wheat or Chaff?

**Title – Wheat or Chaff ?****  
****Author: Linda Hoyland ****  
****Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Damrod**

**Rating: G ****  
****Warnings: none ****  
****Book/Source: LOTR book-verse**

_These Characters are the property of the Estate of J. R. R Tolkien. This story has been written for pleasure and no profit has or will be made from it._

"Were you not a soldier, Captain, what would you be?" Damrod asked one night as they returned from patrol.

"A scholar, I believe," said Faramir. Then, seeing the man's bewildered expression, he added; "Or maybe a farmer, if I needed to earn my living."

"And why a farmer?"

"With my sword, I must cut down all who stand before us as foes, unknowing whether they deserve death or not. With a flail, I would thresh, and winnow the wheat from the chaff, storing the good grain. A farmer knows what must be garnered, a warrior can never be so certain."

_A/N Written for the prompt "Thresh" at "Tolkien Weekly._


	3. Harvest Visions

**Title – Harvest Visions  
Author: Linda Hoyland  
Characters/Pairing: Faramir/ Eowyn, OMC  
Rating: G  
Warnings: none  
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse  
With thanks to Raksha**

It was a perfect summer day and the hay harvest was bountiful that year. Young men and maidens cut the hay, laughing and singing as they worked. Several children played, chasing one another round the field. A woman called the labourers to come and partake of refreshment, cider and great hunks of crusty bread, creamy butter, and rich cheese. Faramir could not see her face, only that she had hair like ripe corn. A little girl clutched at her skirts.

"Captain, wake up! The Southrons are attacking!"

Faramir was roused from blissful dreaming to face the harsh reality of day.


	4. Moonstruck

**Title – Moonstruck**

**Author: Linda Hoyland  
Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Aragorn, Éowyn**

**Rating: G  
Warnings: none  
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse**

_**With thanks to Raksha**_

A tall man stood outlined against the rising harvest moon. A gem adorned his noble brow, and his eyes shone like stars.

Faramir knelt before the man together with a lady with golden hair. She held out a sheaf of ripe corn towards the man.

"Yavanna's blessings be upon you both and our fruitful land!" the stranger said.

Faramir swayed slightly as he came back to himself. Before him lay no fertile meadow, but a corpse strewn battlefield. Only the moon remained

"Are you well, Captain?" Damrod enquired.

"T'was but a moonstruck vision," said Faramir. "Would that it were real!"


	5. First Fruit

**Title – First Fruit**

**Author: Linda Hoyland  
Characters/Pairing: Faramir**

**Rating: G  
Warnings: none  
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse  
Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien estate. This drabble is written for pleasure, not profit.**

The old orchard had suffered long years of neglect when no man had dared prune the trees. Dead branches lay entangled with sharp brambles and weeds on what once had been carefully tended grass.

Faramir sighed. Ithilien had once been fair, but now it seemed a desolate place to build a home. The land had been neglected for so long. Could it ever again be fruitful?

Then he saw it: a huge single apple growing from one of the gnarled trees

Faramir smiled and carefully harvested the apple. Yavanna had given her blessing; this was the first fruit of many.


	6. Hard Labour

**Title – Hard Labour  
Author: Linda Hoyland  
Characters/Pairing: Faramir/Éowyn**

**Rating: G  
Warnings: none  
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse**

**With thanks to Raksha and Windsurfbabe**

Sweat trickled down his face and neck; his shirt clung to his skin uncomfortably. Faramir straightened up, grimacing at the pain in his back. It no longer seemed quite such a good idea to spend the day working in the fields.

As a Captain he had fought alongside his men, as Prince of Ithilien, he had a duty to farm alongside them and help them bring in this first harvest. At last they could reap the fruits of peace.

He straightened up and saw Éowyn approach, carrying refreshment for the thirsty workers.

Faramir smiled; he had reaped a rich reward.


	7. Willing Hands

**Title – Willing Hands****  
****Author: Linda Hoyland ****  
****Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Aragorn**

**Rating: G ****  
****Warnings: none ****  
****Book/Source: LOTR book-verse.**

_**Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien estate. This drabble is written for pleasure, not profit.**_

The rain clouds drew ever closer, their grey plumes like angry warhorses about to charge, trampling the grain. The harvesters quickened their pace.

Faramir bound the twine securely around another sheaf of wheat. He looked up and beheld the King walking across the field towards him. "I did not expect to see you here, sire." Faramir exclaimed in surprise.

Aragorn smiled. "I grow weary of sitting at a desk, my friend. I have laboured over sheaves of paper all morning, this afternoon I would liefer choose wheat. Why should the king stand idle when the harvest is ripe for gathering?"

_A/n Written for the "Tolkien Weekly" Prompt "Sheaf"._


	8. Fruition

**Author: Linda Hoyland ****  
****Characters/Pairing: Faramir/Éowyn**  
**Rating: G ****  
****Warnings: none ****  
****Book/Source: LOTR book-verse.**

_**Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien estate. This drabble is written for pleasure, not profit.**_

The King and Queen had retired to their chamber. A few of the labourers lingered to savour another mug of cider and sing slightly tipsy songs in praise of Yavanna.

Arm in arm, Faramir and Éowyn strolled past the freshly harvested cornfields and into the orchards, where the trees were laden with almost ripe fruit.

Faramir looked up at the harvest moon and tenderly kissed his wife.

"How blessed I am!" he exclaimed. "I have you and our children. Our lord is most gracious while our land is fruitful and at peace. All I ever dreamed has come to pass."

_A/n Written for the "Tolkien Weekly" Prompt "Harvest Moon"._

_"A Seal upon thne Heart" is now complete and might be of interest to Aragorn and Arwen fans._

_Look out for a new multi chaptered adventure coming very soon. "You've got to be carefully taught."_

_Aragorn and Faramir find old beliefs challenged and their beloved land and happy marriages threatened when an unexpected and unusual visitor arrives in Gondor._


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